Other kinds of stains can be caused by water soaking through and absorbing sizings, browning or fugitive dyes from the backs of the material. Because the fibres act as wicks, moisture will rise to the surface to evaporate, and discoloration will be left. Consumers who try to remove stains by using wrong cleaning compounds and procedures, may only make the stained areas more noticeable.

To lessen the possibility of stain damage, immediate action should be taken: thoroughly absorb all moisture and, when possible, put a ½ inch thickness of clean white absorbent material over the area, weighing it down – then call your professional cleaner to learn how to remove the spot safely before it becomes a permanent stain.

Carpet pile has a natural slope in one direction. As long as all the tufts slant in the same direction, the carpet has a uniform color throughout. However, some of the tufts may slant against the normal pile lay, causing a variation in the way light is reflected from the napped surface.

Changes in the lay of pile usually develop gradually in traffic areas or in front of frequently used articles of furniture. However, shading may also occur in areas of less traffic and under fiurniture. It can even be present in brand new carpets! Shading occurs most frequently on dense, deep, velvety, cut pile carpets. Many Chinese and deep-pile Indian rugs will show some pile distortion after use or the first cleaning. Although it can affect multicoloured or printed design carpet, the problem is most obvious on solid colored carpets.

In some cases, shading becomes more apparent after the carpet is cleaned which may lead you to believe the shaded appearance developed during the cleaning process. But, this phenomenon cannot occur overnight, it must develop gradually over time. The shading was probably not visible before cleaning because of lighting, the placement of furniture, or uniform soiling over the entire surface.

Little can be done to prevent or correct shading; it is an inherent characteristic of certain types of carpet. It can be slowed by vacuuming or brushing the pile in one direction during daily or weekly maintenance.

In some cases only one end of the fibre is worked out; in others it is tightly twisted or entangled in the tuft. When this situation occurs in local areas, the long fibres become entangled and form a fuzzy ball, referred to as a “pill”. Pilling is common and not a problem when the pills break or are pulled out bu vacuum as they form. However, a strong elastic fibre such as nylon will resist this breaking. This results in small spider like pills over the entire surface of the carpet, perhaps more concentrated in the areas of greatest traffic.

These pills can generally be removed by lifting the main ball portion with the thumb and forefinger, using scissors to cut the fibre which holds the “ball” onto the carpet. Take care not to pull any excess fibre from the carpet or damage the pile when cutting.

Firebrats and silverfish are also textile pests that attack carbohydrates. They eat the paste on the wall paper and book bindings as well as starched clothing. Termites digest cellulosic materials wood and carpet backings in addition to yarns made of jute, cotton and kraftcord.

The most effective way of to prevent an infestation and inhibit growth is to keep textile furnishings clean. Spills should be removed immediately. Carpet, rugs, draperies, upholstery etc., should be brushed or vacuumed or steam cleaned regularly as insects do no generally attack clean materials. Regular dry/steam cleaning of these articles will also decrease the chances of infestation. Similarly, regular carpet cleaning will remove the nutritional contaminants that attract and support insects. If an infestation has occurred, you should consult a licensed pest control operator who is experienced in treating textile products for insect control.

The appearance of a carpet or rug is dependent on various factors including texture. Foot traffic causes the majority of soil accumulation on floor coverings. It also produces a physical change on the face yarns of a carpet or a rug. This physical change on the face yarns begins as soon as the carpet or rug is put to use and change texture and hence appearance.

Therefore a change in the carpet pile will take place when the carpet is subjected to use. A comparison of areas protected by furniture with adjacent used areas should graphically demonstrate the effect of foot traffic on the appearance of the carpet or the rug. It is a normal occurrence to be expected, and may be in form of either pile crushing, fuzzing or “blooming” of the tufts. The fibre used in the face yarns, pile density, and the amount of traffic over the carpeting will determine the type and amount of distortion.

However, the extent of physical change cannot be determined until soiling has been removed. The professional cleaner makes every effort to correct distortion during cleaning process. But in many cases distortion has reached a point where it cannot be returned to even near the original appearance.

After a water stain has developed, it may be impossible for even a professional rug cleaner to remove it. Gradual and uniform soiling on the face yarns may cause the stain to go unnoticed until the carpeting is thoroughly cleaned. Once the dirt is removed, the dye-like stains becomes quite apparent.
However, water is essential to professional rug cleaning. The professional cleaner knows the proper amount and the conditions under which water can be used on carpeting. For example, in a modern rug cleaning plant where controlled drying temperatures are possible, it is a safe and normal procedure to use hundreds of gallons of water on a single rug.

Professionals adjust the amount of cleaning solution, depending on the type of carpet, to avoid water stain problems. Only surface yarns are wet out, which will result in maximum on-location cleaning and prevent water stains from occurring.

There are various reasons for color bleeding such as:

Usage of Non-colorfast Dye – The dyeing material that has been used on the yarns may not be colorfast. Is a manufacturing defect and before buying one must check the labels to determine the type of dye used. If there is no suggestion made on the labeling then it is important to do a dye check before cleaning the carpet.

Excessive Dye – There are instances when excessive dye has been used or additional dye has been used on a carpet after weaving in order to make it look more bright and colorful or give a certain look. Many a times ink is used as well that are quite different in nature and are bound to bleed. Using a wet towel in one of the corners may show whether or not excessive dye has been used.

High Heat and Alkaline Exposure – Exposure to high heat and alkaline products while cleaning may lead to bleeding of color form the carpet.

Pet Stains – improper cleaning of pet urine may result in bleeding dye though the urine is of acidic nature it can convert to alkali if left un-cleaned.

In most cases, dye bleeding can be prevented or controlled with the usage of appropriate kind of dye stabilizer and shampoo. However it is important to check the amount of heat and humidity in the air before cleaning a carpet. It is also important to read and understand the washing instructions provided by the manufacturer in order to extend and maintain the life of a carpet and also prevent celluloid browning or corn rowing. It is always a better idea to take the help of a professional cleaning service for the first time as they are better equipped to handle such issues.

There is no way to prevent corn rowing other than checking the density of the carpet and whether or not it is enough to keep the yarn in an upright position, before buying the carpet. Once corn rowing starts to appear on a carpet it may be raked or vacuumed in a perpendicular direction to minimize the effect, however, if the rowing is extensive then there is no way to reverse the situation and the best bet that a customer has is to contact the manufacturer.

The factors behind the colour change of a carpet are usually created by environmental reasons rather than manmade or controllable circumstances. The two major factors contributing towards colour change are Fume Fading and Ozone fading.

Fume fading: Occurs due to change in the dye chemicals because of environmental factors such as air pollution, excessive amount of nitrogen oxides and sulphur combined with over exposure to sun, heat, acidic materials in the carpet, and high humidity. The change in colour in such cases is usually gradual and starts at the tufts and progresses towards the backing. Some common examples are turning of blue to pink, brown to red and green to yellow.

Ozone fading: usually caused by ozone exposure in the surrounding environment combined with sun exposure and excessive heat. Ozone fading is more common in the urban area where the amount of ozone in the air is increased because of electrical motors, lightning storms and fluorescent lights and the reaction between the polluted air and light. Ozone fading usually results in faded and lightened colour and many times a complete change of colour similar to fume fading.

Before purchasing a carpet, it is important to check the kind of dye material that has been used for colouration. There are instances wherein an indicator dye is used for colouring of carpet which is highly sensitive to alkaline products and may change colour if washed with ammonia or alkaline detergents. This is called the ‘Indicator Effect’ and can be reversed with the usage of acidic products. There are dyes that are sensitive to acid and changes colour if exposed to acidic cleaners and vinegar, in such case ammonia can be used to restore colour.

It is important to keep in mind that the ageing process also contributes to the change in colour and it is important to take the help of professional carpet cleaners who are well equipped to handle such situations.

The main reason behind cellulosic browning is caused by over-wetting of the carpet or a slow drying process which makes a natural sugar substance called lignin present in the material to get dissolved and ultimately rise to the surface of the carpet. This occurrence can also be seen in news papers if they are left outside for a very long time.

In order to prevent cellulosic browning, one must determine the material that has been used for making the carpet by doing a test, usually carpets have a jute backing or cotton base. After the material has been determined it is important to remember that the cleaning products used should be of an acid or neutral base, if alkaline product is used for cleaning then it should immediately be rinsed off with an acidic side cleaner.

One must keep in mind that there are other factors such as humidity, the water used for cleaning and expertise that can affect the carpet. It is always a good idea to get a professional carpet cleaner to make sure that inconvenience such as cellulosic browning does not occur and even a better idea to get it removed by a professional rather than trying home remedies.